Pitts returns just in time for Seahawks’ decimated line

On a day most of the focus was on the number of Seahawks players sitting out practice, one guy who was working Wednesday carried a broad smile … and a lot of weight on his shoulders.

Chester Pitts

With left tackles Russell Okung and Tyler Polumbus both sidelined, left guard Ben Hamilton and right guard Max Unger now on season-ending injured reserve and center Chris Spencer sitting out to rest a sore neck, Chester Pitts suddenly looms as a large figure in the Seahawks’ plans.

Pitts, who ended a 14-month injury layoff of his own when he played three quarters of last Sunday’s game at Oakland, will be either the starting left tackle or guard this week depending on which of his wounded comrades return.

If Okung (sprained ankle) and Polumbus (knee) both remain out, Pitts will be the left tackle and Mike Gibson would start at left guard against the New York Giants’ formidable defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who already has eight sacks this season.

Pitts last played left tackle in 2005 for Houston before getting a few plays there Sunday after Polumbus went down.

If either Okung or Polumbus can go this week, Pitts will slide into his more-natural guard position in Gibson’s place.

“It’s been a very, very long road,” Pitts said. “Obviously I’d have loved the situation to be better and come out with a victory in the game (last Sunday), but just to be able to get out there and perform and play again … I had 10 doctors tell me I’d never play again and one doctor believed I could come back.”

Pitts had microfracture surgery last October after suffering considerable damage to his knee, which included torn ligaments and fractures of the bones in his tibia, the first injury he’d suffered in eight seasons with the Houston Texans.

“It was a doozy,” Pitts said, noting he’s since spent considerable time following the recovery of other microfracture patients.

“You would not believe how many times I have Googled and Binged the words ‘microfracture’ and ‘successful microfracture surgery’ and ‘how do you recover,'” Pitts said. “I’ve read about it all. That’s a real positive thing.

“A lot of microfractures aren’t successful because people come back too soon,” he said. “If you get the time, then you get the strength to where your knee is strong again and you don’t beat up the joint and you’re fine.”

Pitts figures his knee now is about 90 percent of its prior strength, but said it didn’t hurt any more than the rest of his body after his first full-contact work in more than a year.

Pitts is one of the better-spoken veterans in the NFL and was a well-regarded community presence, but hadn’t spoken with the media in Seattle while going along with the non-interview policy of former line coach Alex Gibbs and veteran guard Ben Hamilton.

But with Hamilton going on injured reserve, Pitts spoke freely and eloquently Wednesday.

He knows his first start with the Seahawks won’t be easy, coming against a Giants’ team that has knocked five quarterbacks out this season already.

“Oh my goodness,” Pitts said. “We saw a really good group last week. I would say the strength of the Raiders was inside, but this group is strong everywhere. We’ve got our work cut out for us. I’m glad it’s at Qwest because the 12th Man really supports us and that’s going to help, but we’ve got to go out there and do our jobs.”

Full injury report: The Seahawks practiced without 10 players on Wednesday, including — as expected — quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (concussion).

Most of the missing had been explained earlier in the day by Pete Carroll, but center Chris Spencer (neck) and defensive end Chris Clemons (coach’s decision) were surprise additions to injury report during the afternoon practice at the VMAC.

Defensive tackle Colin Cole (ankle) didn’t practice and has already been ruled out by Carroll for this week. Fellow defensive tackle Brandon Mebane again was out with a calf injury that has sidelined him for three games, though the team hopes to get him back Thursday.

The Giants, coming off a bye week, had four players not participate Wednesday: defensive end Osi Umenuyiora (knee), center Shaun O’Hara (foot) and tackles Will Beatty (foot) and Kareem McKenzie (illness).